Follow These Four Simple Steps To Develop A Heart For Servant Leadership

A St. Louis-based company, Barry-Wehmiller, lost 30% of its orders due to the effects of the recession. The CEO, Bob Chapman, got together with the board of directors to discuss layoffs to save money. But Bob Chapman refused to let any of his employees go because every member of his team of over 2000 plus employees was considered family. In the end, the board devised a furlough program, through which every employee would be required to take four weeks of unpaid vacation. The program's creation meant that everyone was safe, morale went up, and the company saved $20 million. 

    Bob is the type of CEO who always puts his people before his numbers and feels a sense of responsibility in making sure everyone who works at his organization feels fulfilled and engaged in the work they do. How many CEO’s out there do you know can say that? When you are called to lead, you are invited to serve. You become the servant because leadership is all about being of service to others. A leader with a servant’s heart is a truly invaluable asset; they work tirelessly to develop their people and focus on what they can do for others.

How can you develop a heart for servant leadership follow these four simple steps. 

Change your mindset

    Robert Greenleaf, the founder of the modern servant leadership movement, describes a servant leadership mindset as one that begins with the desire to serve by meeting others’ needs. To embrace the spirit of servant leadership, you must first change your mindset and focus on providing service to others. Great leaders are always seeking to improve and enhance something or someone. This is very important; to become one of the greats of leadership, you must first develop a habit of service.  

Lead by example 

    Most leaders know that their actions can influence how a team feels and performs. However, when leaders don’t practice what they preach, you can almost see the staff’s loss of enthusiasm and goodwill. Once a leader’s character is proven untrustworthy, their ability to lead will diminish. If you want a culture of servant leadership at your organization, you must walk the talk and lead by example as the leader.  

Make the environment safe.

    You have to give your team a safe place to share their ideas and opinions without malice, judgment, victimization, or condemnation. A servant leader must listen to others and be very receptive to what is being said. They may not always agree, but they are very responsive to someone’s position without undermining them. 

Build a culture of leadership throughout the entire company  

    A company with a leadership culture expects all employees, not just those with “VP” or “Chief” in their titles, but all their people, to think and act like leaders. What separates the good leaders from the great leaders is their ability to build a leadership culture that cultivates great leaders throughout their organization. 

    Bringing all together, embracing a servant leader mindset at all levels of an organization, can transform any organization’s culture. A leader with a heart for servant leadership must lead by example and inspire his/her team to lose themselves in service to others. This will help their team achieve their higher calling and propel the company to become one of the best in the world.  

About the Author

Can you inspire your team's hearts and minds every day?

Inspiration creates the highest levels of engagement, it is what separates the best leaders from everyone else, and it is what employees want most in their leaders. The Inspirational Leader, Inspire Your Team To Believe In The Impossible was written to help all leaders successfully navigate all the disruptions in today fiercely competitive world we need a new generation of leaders who care deeply for the well-being of their team and who understand that their people are the heart of their leadership. Each chapter in this book will push you to become the leader you were destined to be; a leader of influence, a leader of value, a leader of vision, and most importantly, an inspirational leader. Click Here For Your Copy.

I am the founder of Leadership First, an organization committed to publishing the very best inspirational leadership quotes and articles from the best leadership minds in the world. We are dedicated to helping every leader create an excellent organization and to provide a daily cup of inspiration for all leaders.